The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-01-20
An Unhappy Snowman.

A contributor 10 the Cleveland Plain
Dealer, writing OF book agent once
famous throughout Ohio. SAYS:
Mr. Beer delighted in astonishing
strangers, who We're accustomed to stare
at him on account of his oddities in per-
sonal appearance, aud prided himself
upon being physically different from
other men, and, being 4 natural actor.
would often assume most ungainly atti-
tudeS in order 10 imuSe strangers.
The writer recollects passing up Su-
perior street in his company on one oc-
casion when Barnuin's circus was ex-
hibiiing in Cleveland. and uu old lady
evidently from Ii.c country. being at
tracied by Quncv's nnganlv appear
ance, stopped suddenly and remarked 10
her companion: Husband. look here!
Barnum's What Is II ha7 cot loose and
that other fellow meaning ma is pa
rading him up and down the street"
That's SO. replied the old man; when
Quincy, oEerheaTing the conversation,
put on one of his inn:ab!e expressions
OF countenance, assumed a most awk-
ward gait, and looked more an orang-
outang than like a human being, as the
Old gentleman continued: An I'd rather
sec the What Is 1t than all the rest of
the circus, cause it's funnier and didn't
cost nothing" This remark so pleased
Quincy that he said we must spend the
rest OF the dav at the circus. and there
we repaired. when the fun began.
Quincy planned that 1 must exhibit
him to a crowd at sideshow as one of
Barnums greatest curinsities great
What Is 1t. We gave a sideshowman
81 to let us run his show Tor Just fifteen
minutes. and the Snowman called the
spectators to order. when / Immediately
commenced TO exhibit my curiosity. !
held up his hands and called attention
to their wonderful size and similarity
To Il mOnkev's paws, i obliged him to
raise one foot about seven feet iii the
air over the shoulders OF an attentive
observer end called attention to the
immensely of his feet. mad him take
off his hat, and called special attention
to the two different csiors of his hair. l
gave the listeners 10 understand that he
! was originally Il Wild man. cariured in
South America. AMI that he wOUd then
speak TO the people in live different
languages.
And such languages rs Quincy spoke!
1t sounded like Chinese, HottentOt,
Scandinavian. Greek. and Low Dutch;
but it satisfied the audience. then told
them that the What Is it would sing
them Il song in his own native language.
This staggered him for u moment. for
he could not tell one note from another,
but he could initiate anything he ever
heard. ana he sang such Il song as NOR
tai never heard before; but it was in
teresting. ridiculous, and delighted the
hearers. Then, in CONCLUSION, l an
nouuced that the wild man would dance
a Dutch jig, and thus show his polish
and gracefulness rs the result of civil
lied life and training. HE dance be-
gan, and the dancers legs roaned all
over the large platform. Sometimes
the heels would be in close proximity
to the slowman's head, and sometimes
might be seen touching the huge cam
vas Il long way of, while the contor-
| tions of the body were truly wonderful
to behold; but the crowd enjoyed the
performance, and men as well as wom-
en- laughed until they grew weak at the
comical attitudes assumed by the per-
former, who at last. becoming weary
from his exertions, gave a war-whOOp
that started the crowd for the exits,
they imagining that the supposed wild
man had suddenly become Il dangerous
beng.
then announced that my curiosity
was harmless, and that the perform
ance would be repeated at , o'clock in
the afternoon, when | hoped that ali
would return and bring their friends.
The manager, who seemed as much de-
| lighted as his audience, offered MIR.
Beer $4,000 year 10 travel with him
and perform. As the fame Of The morn
| ing exhibition became noised about the
afternoon crowds were diverted even
| from the main tent to the SideshOw 10
see the phenomenal wild man. The
| Snowman, vino had taken the money OF
the people. was now in despair. for the
''wild man" could not be found, though
an offer was made OF Sl5O for Just one
act of that comical fellow" as he
called him. But Mr.. Beer was no long
er in that special line; and looking from
the seclusion of window across the
way he Witnessed the success of his per-
formance as the disconsnlate Snowman
appeased the disappointed crowd by re-
funding their money.